Signature handling mechanism for printing presses



Oct. 30, 1934.

H. M. BARBER HANDLING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRBSSES Filed Feb. 1. 1953,

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 30, 1934 PATENT OFFICE SIGNATURE HANDLING MECHANISM PRINTING masses FOR Howard M. Barber, Pawcatuck, Cnn., assignor to C. B. Cottrell & Sons Company, Westerly, R. 1., a corporation of Delaware Application February 1, 1933, Serial No. 654,624

6 Claims.

In signature handling mechanism for printing presses it has been extremely diflicult to successfully handle signatures of a few pages or of light material because of the difliculty of keeping the signatures flat and smooth on their way to the delivery mechanism. i

The object of this invention is not only to keep the signatures smooth on their folding cylinder but also to prevent the signatures from sagging as l they pass around the coacting folding reel on their way to the delivery mechanism.

My invention therefore comprises first: positively driven signature margin engaging rotary brushes exerting a slight drag on the signatures,

l5 combined with air jets for holding the signatures smoothly on the peripheral surface of their folding cylinder; and second: oppositely inclined signature margin engaging tentering rollers coacting with the peripheral surface of the folding reel for keeping the signatures from sagging as they pass around the reel.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawing, in

e which:

Fig. 1 represents in front elevation so much of a machine embodying cutting, folding and delivery mechanisms, as will give a clear understanding of my invention;

Fig. 2 represents a section taken in the planes I of the line IIII of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 represents an enlarged detail view of the means for applying jets of air to the folded signatures as they pass around the folding cylinder;

{and Fig. 4 represents a detail view on a similar scale, of the angularly disposed tentering rollers which coact with the folding reel to prevent the signatures from sagging as they pass around the same.

The coacting rotary cutters 1 and 2 are adapted to receive and cut the associated webs into sheets. The folding cylinder and its coacting folding reel are denoted by 3 and 4 respectively, and the rotary cylinder for ensuring the feeding of the sheets to their grippers on the folding cylinder 3 is denoted by 5. The packer delivery is denoted by 6. Means 7 are provided for guiding the sheets from the cutting mechanism to the folding cylinder 3 fio and means 8 are provided for guiding the signatures from the folding reel 4 to the coacting delivery rolls 9, 10.

The means which I have shown for keeping V the signatures flat and smooth on the folding 5? cylinder 3 as they pass to the coacting folding reel 4, is constructed, arranged and operated as follows:

Three pairs of positively driven signature margin engaging rotary brushes ll, 12 and 13 are arranged around the under side of the folding 6U cylinder 3 on their respective shafts l4, l5 and 16. These rotary brushes are arranged in position to contact with the margins of the signatures on the folding cylinder 3 to keep the signatures spread out and smooth on said cylinder. These rotary brushes are driven at a slightly lower surface speed than that of the folding cylinder 3 so as to exert a drag on the signatures to keep the same smooth as they pass around the folding cylinder 3. In

the present instance these brushes are driven (il from the shaft 17 through a train of gears 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24.

To hold the signatures flat on the peripheral surface of the folding cylinder 3 at its under side,

I provide means for directing jets of air against 7 the signatures, between the rotary brushes. In the present instance I have shown a series of concentric air pipes 25, all connected to a common supply pipe 26 leading to a source of pressure supply, not shown herein. 30

To prevent the signatures from sagging as they pass around the folding reel 5, I provide a pair of oppositely inclined signature margin engaging tentering rollers 27, coacting with the peripheral surfaces of the folding reel to exert an opposed lateral pull on the signatures. The signatures in their straightened condition may then pass underneath the usual pressure rollers 28 on their way to the guide 8 and from thence to the packer delivery 6 through the delivery rolls 9, 10.

The particular packer delivery 6 shown, but not claimed herein, forms the subject matter of my copending application filed November 21, 1932, Serial No. 643,597.

From the above description it will be seen that means are provided for keeping the signatures from wrinkling, buckling, or sagging as they pass to the delivery mechanism. This is very important where the signatures are composed of a few pages or of lightweight material, and elim- 10e inates the necessity of using either stationary or rotating guides in contact with the printed surfaces of the signatures.

It is evident that various changes may be resorted to in the construction, form and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not intend to be limited to the particular embodiment herein shown and described, but

What I claim is:

llll

1. In a machine of the character set forth, a folding cylinder, and positively driven rotary brushes located at the under side of the cylinder and engaging the margins only of the signatures for smoothing them out as they pass around the under side of the cylinder.

2. In 'a machine of the character set forth, a folding cylinder, rotary brushes located at the under side of the folding cylinder and engaging the margins only of the signatures, and means. for driving the brushes at a lesser surface speed than the cylinder for exerting. a drag on the signatures to smooth them out as they pass around the under side of the cylinder.

3. In a machine of the 'character set forth, folding cylinder, positively driven rotary brushes located at the under side of the folding cylinder and. engaging the margins-only of the signatures for smoothing them out as they pass around the under side of the cylinder, and means for directing series ofconcentric jets of air upwardly.

against the signatures between the rotary brushes to. .hold the signatures on the under side of the folding cylinder.

.7 4. In, a machine, of the character set forth, a folding cylinder, rotary brushes located at the under side, of the folding cylinder and engaging the margins vonly .of the signatures, means for driving thebrushes at a lesser surface speed than the cylinderfor exerting a drag on the signatures to smooth them out as they pass around the under side of the cylinder, and means for directing series of concentric jets of air upwardly against the signatures between the rotary brushes to hold the signatures on the under side of the folding cylinder.

5. In a machine of the character set forth, a folding cylinder and its coacting folding reel, positively driven rotary brushes located at the under side of the folding cylinder and engaging the margins only of the signatures for smoothing them out as they pass around the under side of the cylinder, and oppositely inclined tentering rollers engaging the margins only of the signatures for preventing the signatures from sagging as they pass around the reel.

6. In a machine of the character set forth, a folding cylinder and its coacting folding reel, positively driven rotary brushes located at the under side of the folding cylinder and engaging the margins only of the signatures for smoothing 

